Czech Republic’s Barbora Strycova and Karolina Pliskova (left) celebrate a point during the doubles rubber of Fed Cup against Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina in Prague, Czech Republic, yesterday. (Reuters)

AFP/Prague


Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova steered defending champions the Czech Republic to the Fed Cup title after winning the decisive doubles rubber over Russia in the final yesterday.
The Czech pair beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 at Prague’s hardcourt O2 Arena to give the hosts an overall 3-2 win and their fourth Fed Cup trophy in five years.
Earlier, Pliskova kept the Czech Republic’s hopes alive, beating Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets to level the tie 2-2.
Pliskova, the world number 11, saw off 28th-ranked Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-4 at Prague’s hardcourt O2 Arena after Maria Sharapova, the world number four, earlier came back from a set down to edge sixth-ranked Petra Kvitova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
In the day’s opening rubber, a rampant Kvitova forced out two breaks in the first set, keeping Sharapova under constant pressure with daring returns.
Playing only her fifth Fed Cup tie, Sharapova regained momentum in an epic second set as the 25-year-old Kvitova seemed to lose concentration, giving away two breaks against one for Sharapova.
In the final set, Sharapova broke twice while Kvitova piled up errors.
Russia, who are 2-3 head-to-head with the Czechs—including three ties between the former Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union—have won four titles so far.